Typographical machine.



J. WATSON.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12, 1912.

1,099,478. Patented June 9,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

z \l l at D I U w 5t: 1 ventor: by f Atty If. WATSON.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1120.12, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor: by Mu UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

JOHN WATSON, OF PASSAIO, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB. TO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known, that I, JOHN VVATsoN, a citizen of the United States, and av resident f Passaic, county of Passaic, and State of New J ersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Typographical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to typographical machines, such as linotype machines of the gen eral organization represented in Letters Patent of the United States to O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line, the composed line transferred to the face of a slotted mold,- the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started. In such machines the matrices are carried to and from the mold by a device commonly known as the first elevator which moves up and down in a vertical guideway in front of the mold. After this elevator has been lowered to its proper casting position, the mold is moved forward against the line of matrices, the line justified, and the casting proceeded with. As is well known in this class of machines, before the casting takes place, the elevator is urged upward to a slight extent in order to effect the alinement of the matrix charactors with the mold slot, this alinement usually being secured by the engagement of the lower ears of the matrices with a grooved plate, generally known as the keeper plate, carried by the mold.

In practice it sometimes happens that the parts will be presented in such relation that the matrix ears will not enter properly into the alining grooves of the keeper plate,

which will result in the imperfect alinement of the matrix characters with the mold slot. lhus, for example, it may occur that the mold wheel or carrier will be moved beyond its normal position so that when the mold is advanced against the matrices, thealining groove will occupy an inclined position with relation to the matrix ears. @1- the imperfect alinement may result from inaccurate workmanship, or from the expansion and contraction of the mold due to the varying temperatures to which it is Sub ected.

It is the principal object of my invention to overcome this objection, and to this end I provide the first elevator with a matrix supporting head capable of a free rocking movement thereon about an axis extending transversely of the mold, the supporting head thus moving vertically relatively to the first elevator and in a plane parallel or substantlally so with the face of the mold. As a result of this construction the supporting head may readily adjust. itself to the varymg posit ons of the mold and thus insure proper alinement of the parts.

lVhile in the accompanying drawing I have shown my invention as applied to the particular type of machine referred to, it is to be understood that it may be applied as well to other ty of typographical machmes and, furt er, that it may embody other forms and details without departing from the spirit of the invention. Generally speaking, I desire it tobe distinctly under stood that I do not limit myself to any spec 1fic embodiment or adaptation of the invent1on except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a rear perspective view of the casting mechamsm of a linotype machine having my invention applied thereto, showing a quadblock supported by the elevator in front of the mold, the mold being shown in section and its supporting wheel or carrier being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end View of the elevator head showing a diiferent mode of attachment of the quadblock Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the form of elevator head employed for supporting a line of matrices; andFig. 5 is a face .view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

As usual, the mold A is carried by the rotatable mold wheel B and is provided with the horizontal mold slot (1 in which the slug is cast. To the mold there is rigidly secured to the so-called keeper plate C having on its face one or more horizontal grooves 0, 0 to engage the lower ears of the matrices and effect their accurate alinement with the mold slot at. The matrices are presented to the mold by the first elevator D which slides up and down in a vertical guideway (not shown) in front of the mold, and which elevator comprises a head or support for the matrices. During the downward movement of the first elevator, the mold stands in a retracted position in order to permit the projecting ears of the matrices to move past the same. WVhen, however, the elevator has reached its roper casting position, the mold advances acewise against the line of matrices and engages one of the grooves 0, 0 in the keeper plate C, with the matrix ears, after which the elevator is urged slightly upward to efiect the accurate alinement of the matrices. So far as described, the parts are or may be substantially the same as those disclosed in the Letters Patent referred to or as employed in the commercial linotype machine.

As previously pointed out, it sometimes happens that when the mold A is advanced facewise against the line of matrices, the matrix ears will not be properly engaged with the grooves in the keeper plate C. This may result from the mold being presented out of proper alining position with relation to the matrices, or from other causes; and if in these circumstances the matrix supporting head is rigidly connected with the first elevator as heretofore, there will be a failure to secure the final alinement of the parts. To obviate this objection I mount the matrix supporting head upon the first elevator so that it may have a free rocking movement thereon transverse of the mold.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the matrix supporting head is in the form of a plate E pivotally connected to the first elevator D by a pivoting screw F.- In said figures, the plate E is shown as giving support to a quad-block G provided at its opposite ends with projecting lips g to engage in one of the alining grooves of the keeper plate C. As a convenient means for supporting the block G upon the plate E, I have shown these parts connected by a dovetail, which will ermit the ready removal of the block G w en desired. In addition it will be noted that by means of this mode of connection the block Gr is supported wholly at its rear, thereby leaving its front or operative side wholly exposed in order that it may cooperate freely with the mold, and so that when the parts are in their casting position they will be firmly held therein. In

. Figs. 3 and 4 a substantially similar means of support is disclosed. In this instance, the plate E is provided with a projecting tongue H of T-shape in cross-section and fitting into a correspondingly shaped groove in the face of the block G. This tongue is preferably madeof a vertical width equal to or less than the distance between the upper and lower ears of a matrix, in order that in the use of matrices it may be employed as one of the supporting ledges therefor. Thus in Fig. 4 1t is shown as supporting one side of a line of matrices X, the other side of which is supported upon a ledge J extending inwardly from a bracket I secured to the face of the plate E. This bracket I is detachably secured to the plate by bolts K so that it may be removed therefrom when desired to permit the use of the quad-block shown.

From the construction described, it will be noted that even though the mold A be not presented in the exact position required, the matrix supporting head by reason of its pivotal connection may readily adjust itself relatively thereto and thus secure proper alinement. It will also be noted that the rocking movement of the elevator head may be availed of for other purposes than those described, as, for instance, to efiect itsalinement with other parts of the machine. These and other uses will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and still be comprised within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is, as follows:

1. In a typographical machine comprising casting mechanism, the combination of a slotted mold and a matrix support pivotally mounted so as to rock about an axis extend-- ing transversely of the mold.

2. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a matrix support, and a slotted mold provided with alining means to engage the matrices carried by the support, the said support being mounted to be rocked relatively to the mold in a plane parallel or substantially so with the face thereof by the engagement of the matrices with said alining means whereby the accurate aline-.

ment of the matrices with the mold slot'will be secured. I g

3. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a matrix support, and a mold slotted horizontally and provided with alining means to engage the matrices carried by the support, said support being mounted to be rocked in a vertical plane relatively to the mold by the engagementof the matrices with said alining means, in order to insure the horizontal ahnement of the matrix characters with the mold slot.

4:. In a linotype machine, the vertically movable first elevator provided with a matrix supporting head pivotally mounted thereon to rock about a horizontal fore and aft axis in a vertical plane relative thereto.

5. In a typographical machine, the combination of a slotted mold provided with alining means, and a cooperating matrix element supported in front of the mold in position to engage said alining means, the said element being movably mounted so as to be rocked relatively to the mold by its engagement with the alining means.

6. In a typographical machine comprising casting mechanism, the combination ofthe mold provided with matrix alining means and the first elevator to present the matrices thereto and movable to efiect their aline- .ment therewith, the said elevator being provided with a matrix supporting head adapted to be moved relatively thereto by the engagement of the matrices with the said alining means during the alining movement of the elevator.

7. In a typographical machine comprising casting mechanism, the combination of the mold provided with matrix alining means and the first elevator for presenting the matrices thereto and movable to efiect their alinement therewith, the said elevator being provided with a matrix supporting head mounted to rock freely thereon and the said rocking movement being eifected by the engagement of the matrices with the said alining means during the alining movement of the elevator.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this seventh day of December, 1912, in the presence of two attestin witnesses.

J OH WATSON.

Witnesses:

NORMAN DODGE, WILLIAM A. LowN. 

